December 2022 -- Life was as joyous and peaceful as it could be. Work was going well. I had just clocked my personal best for a Half Marathon. If one had peeked through my window, it would not have been out of place to see me humming the merriest of tunes. But then, the dark storm clouds were just around the corner. As PG Wodehouse puts it eloquently,
"it's always just when a fellow is feeling particularly braced with things in general that Fate sneaks up behind him with the bit of lead piping"
"it has been well said that it is precisely these moments when we are feeling that ours is the world and everything that's in it that Fate selects for sneaking up on us with the rock in the stocking"
There is a saying in Tamil - "கொடுக்கிற தெய்வம் கூரையைப் பிய்த்துக்கொண்டு கொடுக்கும்’. Which colloquially means - when you are at the receiving end, you will be dispensed with largesse. So, it was. We ran into some bizarre issues with the documents related to my mother's apartment.
And then came the Google layoff announcements.
While each of the above fall into the "disappointments" category, luckily none of them is even remotely closer to the life-and-death category. I just need to undergo physiotherapy for a few months and hopefully (Fingers crossed. I am advised not to cross my legs though😀) I can get back to running. Correcting the documentation just means that we have to spend some more money, effort and time. In essence, I need to endure some pain and hardship before things will likely get back to normalcy. I am ever so grateful for that.
What this also highlights is that life is so uncertain. It is at your own peril that you take things for granted. It is so easy to complain about so many things around us that one forgets what one enjoys currently is in itself a big gift. Just being able to wake up and run a 10K is not something that I thought much before. Now, I would give anything to get back to that state. One should absolutely be grateful just for a normal life.
Another thing that also came to limelight as I was facing these challenges is the support from family and friends. While there is not a lot that they could do, every one of my running friends was empathetic and supportive. Similarly, a lot of my friends and colleagues just rushed to my side to see how they can help, work wise. Just the thought that my life is surrounded by these kind of kind individuals is such a wonderful feeling.
One often builds their identity based on some of their passions. For example, a lot of my life worth came from being able to run those many marathons and chasing targets there. Or so I thought. While there is nothing really wrong with that, at times, it behoves to think more holistically. Our life is more than just our passions. In fact, the kindness and generosity one shows to their family, friends and the world in general should play an important part of one's identity. That is something that will last for life and beyond. Anything else, like running, can be taken away from you in a jiffy.
Life is short. Life is unpredictable. Cherish every moment.
